About the case

For more than a decade, Booking.com has been the dominant online travel agency (OTA) in Europe, controlling the way hotels reach their guests. With its overwhelming market share in many European countries – sometimes exceeding 65% – Booking.com has become an unavoidable partner for hotels. Booking.com used its power to impose unfair contract terms, restrictive clauses, and excessive commissions on hotels. These practices left hotels with fewer choices, lower revenues, and no real ability to negotiate.

Commissions charged by Booking.com ranged from 15% to 30%, depending on the market and the level of “visibility” purchased. These inflated costs reduced hotel profitability, particularly for independent hotels, family businesses, and small chains. Because hotels could not escape Booking.com’s market dominance, they were effectively locked into paying these rates.

Structure of the action

The claim will be filed on behalf of several damaged parties, increasing pressure on Booking.com and providing more data to prove the harm caused by their anticompetitive behavior. The damages will be claimed in a civil action brought by a Special Purpose Vehicle in a favorable jurisdiction.